As described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,393,417 filed Oct. 15, 1999, incorporated herein by reference, at Internet search system is described which uses a so-called fingerprint to home in on a result, with the fingerprint in one embodiment being matched to the fingerprints of merchants called entrants. The fingerprint is generated using parameters selected by users for their fingerprints and provides a highly targeted search.
However, in using an Internet search, it is typical for a user to have questions about a product, not necessarily specific questions, but any question that might be interesting to the user regarding the product or service he is about to buy. This information that the user would like to have should come from a person who is not engaged in selling, so that a user can make his decisions based on information from an impartial source.
Thus, the individual giving the advice should not be involved selling when he gives information about a product. It should be a person who works for the user, a consumer, and it should be a person who is able to give balanced information so that the consumer, the user, will be able to make an informed choice. Such information should come from a consultant, preferably a Neutral Sales Consultant.
Presently one can ask a question to any person on the Internet and certain search engines permit questions and answers. The Google search engine has two ways for answering questions. One is for the user to enter a search word or question in a search box, which can be any question. However, this technique is not designed to answer questions but is designed to find sites or resources that match the specific words. Secondly, the Google search engine provides another service that accesses 500-600 experts or professionals in various fields. The user can ask a question and a person will answer him on-line. This method does not invoke an algorithm or any automatic agent.
The above system, first of all, involves a human being and is thus not automated. Secondly, getting an answer from a human being may take 24 hours or more. Thirdly, the expert can indirectly influence the choice of the user.
What is required is an artificial intelligence system, to be behind the screen, to find out what is meant by a question; i.e., a user-centric question that is to be answered and to provide an unbiased relevant answer. Moreover, the answers need to be from experts in the field of inquiry and need to be generated in a way that lets the user benefit from unbiased, already categorized answers.